Leclerc wins dramatic British Grand Prix from Russell and Hamilton

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Leclerc wins dramatic race from Russell and HamiltonImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Charles Leclerc's previous race victory was the 2024 United States Grand Prix at AustinByAndrew Benson F1 Correspondent at SilverstonePublished5 July 2026, 16:54 BSTUpdated 37 minutes agoCharles Leclerc took Ferrari's second win in three races in a dramatic British Grand Prix as chaos broke out in the closing stages. Leclerc, claiming his first victory for nearly two years, led home Mercedes' George Russell and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton as the race finished confusingly under a safety car. Race control initially said the safety car would be coming in with one lap to go, setting the scene for a thrilling one-lap dash to the finish, but it then stayed out, meaning the order remained the same until the chequered flag.

After the race, a statement from governing body the FIA said "the 'safety car in this lap' message was displayed erroneously due to a software error". Silverstone has seen many remarkable races in its long history but this was one of the most extraordinary. First, championship leader Kimi Antonelli suffered some kind of suspension failure when he was closing in on the Ferrari for the lead, and seeming set for another win.

The Details

As Antonelli dropped down the field, amid a series of increasingly desperate radio messages, Red Bull's Max Verstappen crashed at Stowe while chasing Hamilton for second place. The safety car for that incident promoted Russell to second place as Mercedes decided not to pit the Briton while everyone else took fresh tyres. Antonelli crossed the line ninth but was demoted to 16th by a five-second penalty for exceeding track limits - incurred while he was battling with the problems with his car.

Adding to the drama, Hamilton is to be investigated after the race for a yellow-flag infringement. The result has a major impact on the championship, narrowing Antonelli's lead over Russell to 25 points. Hamilton is seven points further adrift, pending that investigation.

The key stories of an incident-packed race were:A superb drive from Leclerc, deserving of ending a long victory drought for the MonegasqueContrasting fortunes at Mercedes changing the face of the title battleA rare mistake from Verstappen as he sought an unlikely second place for Red BullAntonelli's problems begin at the startThe race started in front of a record crowd of 175,000 fans with the expectation that Antonelli, imperious through the weekend, would cruise to a comfortable victory from pole position. Instead, a slow start meant he was passed by both Ferraris off the line, Leclerc sweeping into the lead on the inside, Hamilton moving into second on the outside. That set the pattern of the race, Leclerc building a lead over Hamilton, who fought to hold off Antonelli, just as he had for the first nine laps of the sprint on Saturday.

This time, Hamilton held the Mercedes back for one more lap, and Leclerc was 4.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.